Las Vegas Raiders @ New York Jets
Raiders rally past the Jets 38-33 as Kirk Cousins leads a comeback to snap a 4-game skid
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- — Kirk Cousins got up after his 1-yard touchdown run, crouched near the Raiders' sideline and started flapping his right elbow like a chicken wing.
It made for a viral social media moment on a day filled with highlights for the Las Vegas quarterback.
Cousins threw three touchdown passes, including a go-ahead 2-yard toss to Jalen Nailor in the fourth quarter, to help the Raiders snap a four-game skid with a 38-33 comeback victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.
Oh, and there was that curious celebration after his TD run made it a two-point game in the third quarter.
“I call that my wellness celebration,” the 38-year-old quarterback said with a smile. “We do a lot of tissue work here. At my age, it’s especially helpful. ... So I said someday if I run a touchdown in, I’m going to give a shoutout to all the staff that works so hard to help us feel good and be one of the healthier teams in the league.”
Cousins initially forgot to do it until Brock Bowers, who caught two TD passes from Cousins, reminded him.
“Brock, who doesn’t say much," Cousins said, "goes: ‘Hit them with the wellness celebration!’"
Cousins and the Raiders (4-4) certainly felt pretty good after this one, which was sealed when Jeremy Chinn made a toe-tapping interception in the end zone on a desperation heave by Geno Smith in the closing seconds.
Cousins was 19 of 26 for 247 yards and rookie Mike Washington Jr. ran for 83 yards on 25 carries for the Raiders, who trailed the Jets (2-6) by nine at halftime and allowed New York to score on its first six possessions. Dylan Laube returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.
“It took everything we had today, but it’s great to get a win,” Cousins said. “To be .500 in November now and playing meaningful football is important."
Ashton Jeanty, who earlier in the week said it seemed the Jets' defense has players who don't like to tackle, ran for 9 yards on just two carries in a reduced role but caught three passes for 64 yards — including a big play on the go-ahead scoring drive.
With the Raiders trailing by two, Cousins tossed a screen pass to Jeanty — who stumbled and then zipped downfield for 45 yards to get to the Jets 13.
“Ashton is still going to be a big part of our team," coach Klint Kubiak said. "He made a huge catch. He’s going to be a huge part of our run game going forward.”
Five plays later, Cousins connected with Nailor to put Las Vegas up 35-30 with 11:33 remaining.
After New York got a 31-yard field goal by Jason Sanders, Las Vegas chewed up the clock and got a 53-yarder by Matt Gay with 31 seconds remaining.
The Jets got the ball at their 35 with 27 seconds left and a 15-yard catch by Garrett Wilson and an unnecessary roughness call on Chinn put the ball at the Raiders 35. But Smith's throw into the end zone with 14 seconds left was picked off by Chinn.
“It’s an understatement to say that we’re all disappointed in the way this one ended," Jets coach Aaron Glenn said, "with not getting a victory in this game.”
Smith was 20 of 32 for 290 yards and touchdowns to Adonai Mitchell and Isaiah Williams and the INT for the Jets, who have dropped three in a row. Braelon Allen ran for 147 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.
“I think we didn’t do enough to win the game," Smith said. "So that’s really where my focus is, is how can we improve and get better so that we can finish the game?”
The Jets got a 21-yard field goal by Sanders on their opening drive, and the Raiders followed with Cousins' 12-yard TD pass to Bowers on third-and-goal.
Sanders kicked a 36-yarder and Smith threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Williams on New York's third drive. But Las Vegas snatched the lead right back when Laube returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to put the Raiders back up, 14-13. It was the first kickoff returned for a TD in the NFL this season, and the first of Laube's three-year career.
Smith's over-the-shoulder fade pass to Mitchell on fourth-and-1 from the 12 for a touchdown put New York up 20-14.
The Jets entered having been outscored 107-6 in the final two minutes of the opening half in two seasons under Glenn. They got a 39-yard field goal to go up 23-14 with 9 seconds left for their first points this season in the last two minutes of the first half.
Las Vegas made it a two-point game at 23-21 on Cousins' 2-yard TD pass to Bowers to open the second half.
After Allen rumbled 21 yards for a touchdown to put the Jets up 30-21, Cousins pushed forward and over the goal line for a 1-yard TD.
The Jets' scoring streak ended on their seventh drive late in the third quarter.
Raiders CB Darien Porter didn't return after injuring his groin on Las Vegas' first defensive play.
Raiders: Face the 49ers in San Francisco next Sunday.
Jets: Travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs next Sunday.
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